Bandiagara Day 9 (24/07/09)

This morning we were in the clinical lab. I learned how to run tests for salmonella (which the Swiss med student tested positive for), as well as how to prepare slides for urine analysis (to look for parasites, bacteria, and anything else abnormal). We also got to observe the battery of tests done for all pregnant women (there were a few that came in so we got to see this more than once). For pregnant women they check blood type, Rhesus factor, test for syphilis and check for creatinine and sugar in the urine. We spent the whole morning in the lab doing different tests and trying to find out how they work (it seems that the lab techs know how to perform them, but are not exactly sure about the biochemistry of the tests). Here many of the tests involve precipitate reactions, which I’ve never seen preformed in a clinical lab in the US (we generally prefer closed reactions and often use for expensive antibody, colorimetric tests).
After lunch (and a short nap), we went on a walk to the market (there are 2 market days a week, Friday and Monday) with Poel (one of the caretakers of the house). On the way to the market we saw the towns first Togona, which is a very low ceilinged structure were men meet to talk about any conflicts in the community (the ceiling is low so that no one can stand up when they are angry and try to get an advantage in the discussion). The market was hot and dusty (and later I discovered I got a little sunburned), but there were all sorts of interesting things to see. Poel walked fast and it was a bit hard to stop him and ask questions or take pictures. But we were able to buy Dogon cloth (which is dyed in unique and interesting patterns with indigo) and we stopped at a pharmacy for Liz to get more tooth paste. Afterwards Poel walked us to the clinic (I had made a date to talk to Nathan on Skype in the afternoon). After talking to Nathan and Dad on Skype Liz and I were finally able to help with some work. We compiled some data from the vaccine study (which finished shortly before we got here) and in fact we did it do fast Tolo could hardly believe it (poor Sessoko had been working on it all by himself all day). While we were working one of the guides at the clinic brought us some coffee. I was really impressed by the quality because here they only use instant coffee. The guide explained that it was better than the coffee at the house because it was made in the US and the coffee at the house is made in Burkina Faso (it’s a little funny because they seem to feel that anything to do with the neighboring countries is somehow inferior). When we were done we headed back to the house for dinner (during the drive there was a lot of lightning in the distance, though I couldn’t hear any thunder) and met a new group of people who had arrived: there was Professor Ogo’s secretary from Bamako, and doctor who specializes in medical ethics (he had just returned from the US). After dinner (which was a rather boney fish and French fries) I was hanging out in the room when I began to hear some rumbling. It wasn’t long before a huge storm broke out, the power turned off and Liz and I went outside to watch the rain. This was some storm, the rain came down in torrents (I’m not even sure torrential could describe it) and the lightning was so bright and so often that we could see clear across the yard with no lights on. It seems here that the weather is really all or nothing; either no rain at all or just total down pours.